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I like this match up. Errol Spence Jr is one of the best boxing talents around in my opinion, and he is at that age, that career point, when he is beginning to show the boxing world just how capable a fighter he is. Lamont Peterson is an interesting fighter, he has some very good skills, he can punch, he's athletic, he's fast, he's experienced, he's never looked like another Floyd Mayweather Jr, he isn't outstandingly gifted when it comes to all round ring attributes, he has been seen to come apart in fights in the past, he was destroyed in 3 rounds by animalistic punching Argentine, Lucas Matthysse, he was knocked down twice in failure to defeat Victor Ortiz, and he was dropped, schooled in a 12 round blowout against Tim Bradley, so Peterson, has had his bad nights.

Errol Spence Jr is a "hype job or real deal?!", case sort of fighter, he has his supporters, he has his critics, he is an Olympian, he impressed everyone with fantastic knockout victories against Chris Algieri and Leonard Bundu, before travelling to Sheffield, in England, to take on then IBF world champion, Kell Brook, in his first serious career test. Some believed Spence would be "exposed" against Brook, but most saw it a 50/50 fight, and though the challenger, Spence was the favourite. Spence answered questions by travelling to the champion's hometown to fight him in front of 27,000 fans, and when it came to fight time, he answered many more questions.

Brook seemed to start sharper, in a more focused manner than Spence, as he patiently set up his openings, picked his moments, landed with the clean, eye catching punches. Spence looked like he struggled to get into a solid rhythm, but never looked overawed, stayed calm unerring the pressure, and showed great skill in attacking the body, even when losing the fight. Spence looked like he was going to have a tough night after Brook completed a good fifth session, but Spence had other ideas, as he showed us in round 6, taking a fair few clean shots from Brook, but being unfazed, and dragging the champion into deep waters, attacking the body. Spence may well have been behind after 6 rounds, but at which point, he looked as if he was growing stronger and more confident by the minute, whilst Brook, looked like he was fading, and in there with a guy who was better than he had anticipated. In rounds 7-9, Spence overpowered, out worked, dominated a discouraged, vulnerable looking Kell Brook, as he attacked the body, wouldn't let Brook dictate the ring, landed brutal right hooks and left hands to the head. Brook's legs gave out in round 10, the Brit showed heart, got up, landed a big shot himself, but Spence, looking like he had endless stamina, like he had many rounds left in him, unfazed by Brook's shots, and it was not hard for him to dominate an exhausted, weakening, half blind Kell Brook. Spence seemed to have beaten Brook into submission, as Brook took a knee, losing what was another beginning to a round, which presented itself with Spence beating the daylights out of him. Brook, looking concerned about his eye, was too brave to make him up his mind to withdraw, but did not want to continue. Errol Spence made a massive statement, proved his doubters wrong, and became a world champion.

Lamont Peterson has impressed on many occasions, he has been a hot and cold fighter, he has given Amir Khan and Danny Garcia all they could handle in fights, but he has also slipped under the radar somewhat, losing a brutal 3 round TKO to Lucas Matthysse, he was schooled by Tim Bradley in a one sided fight, and he was dropped twice, struggled in draw against Victor Ortiz.

I think his ups and downs make it so that some understand what a tough opponent Peterson is, for any world champion, whilst others, they underestimate him, looking at his losses, dismissing the Khan victory, remembering Garcia's disadvantages in their fight, and deciding he isn't anywhere near as good a fighter as he is.

Peterson can be hurt, he hasn't got the best chin, but he os great at turning it around when it isn't going his way, he nearly did against Garcia, he did just that against Amir Khan and Dierry Jean, he may not be a good starter in fights, he takes his time to find his rhythm, but he hasn't lost a fight, Peterson, until his opponent is announced the winner. Peterson is a very skilful fighter, great defence, great footwork, he picks his shots well, picks the times to let shots go, so well, he isn't a big puncher, but he has great hand speed, good variety, and he is a very experienced fighter, has good amateur experience behind him, wins over Devon Alexander and Jarrod Flether, he's been a professional boxer for 13 years, he's had 39 fights. Peterson is 33, he might struggle to box as well as he did against Garcia, again, but I think he still has a couple of big fights left, and hopefully, he is still a relatively fresh fighter, it is just good for him that he got this opportunity, because it really is now or never for Peterson, I'm sure he'll try his 100% best to win this fight, and I think he'll be confident of victory, he has more experience than Errol Spence. I think giving a good account of himself, making a fight of it, is what's really important for Peterson, although, I think this should be his last fight.

I think Errol Spence will win this one, defend his title, win by stoppage, and impress with a great performance. I think Peterson will be sure to turn up to the fight as the boxer he was against Danny Garcia, David Avanesyan, and not the Peterson we saw against Victor Ortiz, Lucas Matthysse, he'll relish this opportunity, and he'll surely know how big an ask this would be, what an upset, what an achievement it would be, so he'll be nothing short of the best fighter he can be. Spence will be coming off an 8 month break, that's slightly on the longer side of a gap between fights, but I don't think that's really a long layoff, he did struggle with ring rust against Kell Brook, having been out of the ring for only about 5 weeks long than he will be this time, but this is a shorter break all the same I suppose, and as he is learning, becoming more adapted as a fighter, I think his experience will click together more easily in his head, he'll find his rhythm more easily, and sooner in the fight, with the same amount of time between fights, later in his career, more than earlier.

I think Spence will start quite slowly, needing some time to find his rhythm, as Peterson, the veteran, makes an impression as the aggressor in round 1, letting some punches go, most being blocked, and getting caught by a great flurry of shots from the champion in the last 30 seconds of the round, but not starting off badly. I think Spence will become more comfortable as he works behind the jab in round 2, backing Peterson up, not needing to throw a lot of punches as Peterson fails to find any opportunities to put shots together, and everytime he does pull the trigger, Spence will land on the counter, I think when Peterson tries to really impose himself, tries to put pressure, volume on Spence, he will find himself on his back seconds later, he'll get up, the referee will let him continue, he'll try to survive, knowing to make that a priority, but Spence will sustain his educated pressure, keep letting punches go, attack from head to body, and look much the stronger of the two fighters.

I think Spence likes to hurt his opponent, he doesn't mind taking punches when he moves forward, but he is also a patient fighter, and against a guy like Peterson, who can be hurt, but knows it, can move, can make fights work for him, he will need some patience. I think Spence will box very well in rounds 3 and 4, controlling the distance, making Peterson work hard only not to take shots flush, I think we'll see some good head movement from Spence as well, evading Peterson's responsive flurries, and sometimes, punishing him with vicious counter punches, I think if Peterson does try to get on the front foot, Spence will lead with the right hook, and land it clean, consistently.

I think Spence will stick to his game plan in round 5, look to be boxing very well, but Peterson will finish the round strongly himself, Spence just getting a little bit sloppy with his defence, as Peterson, experienced, fast hands, good ring IQ as well, let's his hands go, lands a couple of stand out, clean combinations on Spence. I think Peterson will look to be on a role in round 6, as he starts well, moves, looks like Spence should be getting frustrated, but showing he's got the temperament to stay focused, disciplined in a quite strategic fight, waiting patiently for an opportunity to catch Peterson off guard with a solid shot. I think Peterson will look like he is having his best round of the fight after 2 great minutes, just as Spence puts Peterson on the canvas, landing a fantastic 2 punch combination upstairs, right hook, left hand, out of nowhere, accurately connecting, timed well, and Peterson will once again get up, have to dig deep, come off second best as he takes punishment in the closing stages of a bad round for the man from Tennessee.

I think rounds 7 and 8 will be fairly negative rounds for the majority of the duration, as Spence controls the pace, doesn't let Peterson settle into the fight again, out works his opponent, misses a couple of shots in a way which the crowd will remember, but not so many, as he picks his moments, lands some solid jabs and awkward digs to the body, against a tiring, inactive Lamont Peterson, I think Spence will step it up just a bit in round 8, in the last 10-20 seconds, and punish Peterson a bit as he backs him up against the ropes, being sure not to let him rest for a second.

I think Peterson's trainer will struggle to know what to tell him, but he will try his best, and Peterson will not look like he is considering quitting, and he'll aim to make Spence work, make him miss as best he can in a round 9 which takes a lot out of Peterson. I think Spence will look comfortable, confident, maybe slightly complacent, as he falls short with a couple of jabs, but he'll, know it is only a matter of time before he can really break Peterson, as Peterson continues to use his feet, and try to give himself every chance, letting a combination go whenever he senses Spence's sense of any level of ease, and having his success as the Texan is woken up by a few sharp shots which catch him clean. I think whenever the fighters open up, Spence will land with the authority, the power, his shots will have more of an affect on Peterson than vise verse, but Peterson, throwing more shots, working in longer spurts, landing more punches.

I think Peterson will be just about spent after 9 rounds, and Spence Jr will be thriving, as round 10 gets underway, and Spence puts more weight behind his punches, misses a couple as Peterson manages to land a couple of counters, keep out of harms way for 45 seconds or so, looking like he could find a second wind, but Sppence will get right back on his case, and land with more volume, unloading to head and body, and the Texan fans will be on their feet as Spence starts to tee off on Lamont Peterson. I think Spence will put Peterson down again, with a peach of a left hand to the jaw, and after a brave Peterson gets back up to his feet, Spence will sustain his offensive assault, put Peterson down again, with a couple of hard shots knocking him over, after the accumulation of punishment, makes an exhausted Peterson's legs give way. I think the referee will give Peterson a chance, just before he takes 6-8 heavy, unanswered blows, doesn't move, doesn't defend, and the referee will stop the fight.

I think Errol Spence Jr will stop Lamont Peterson in 10 rounds (with the scorecards at the time, reading 88-81, 88-81, 89-80), and successfully defend his IBF welterweight world title in impressive form.

I think Terence Crawford should fight Lucas Matthysse, or an opponent of that calibre, in the early months of next year, Errol Spence is fighting Lamont Peterson in January, I think, ideally, Thurman would fight at around the same time, but obviously, for a number of reasons, it may not pan out that way, I don't think his elbow injury was so bad that he'll fight any later than April 2018, I would say Thurman should just focus on staying active for now, maybe take a relatively easy title defence, no opponent with a losing record, not an opponent who is really old, coming off a lot of losses, maybe Yordenis Ugas. I think it would be great to see Shawn Porter vs Danny Garcia in May or June 2018, Porter is fighting Adrian Granados in November, Garcia would be unwise to take the Porter fight before taking a less challenging fight first.

I wouldn't mind seeing Errol Spence Jr vs Keith Thurman in September 2018, it is a fight that has to happen, it would be a real shame if it didn't, the fight may be built up to happen when it is even more popular, maybe later than 2018, if so, I think Summer 2019, is the latest it should happen, because we want to see the fight before either of them begin to decline, and Thurman, well he may come of age, be at his best at 30, 31, but he may also be on the decline at that point, I think for a few reasons, the fight would just make less sense if it were to happen too late, so I would say, it should happen in either 1 fight's time, or 2 fights' time, either late 2018, or early 2019.

I think Errol Spence vs Jeff Horn should happen in 2018 of the Thurman fight is not to happen, assuming Spence would come through Horn, Thurman vs Spence would be a 50/50 fight, a fight between two, two belt champions, one of them could become the one and only welterweight champion of the world.

Errol Spence Jr takes this one easily. I don't think this one goes the distance.

Lamont is a pesky and cunning fighter, who usually comes with the right game plan for the big fights. However, Errol will be too much for him to bite. Errol has plenty of flaws in his boxing, but he manages to capitalize on what other fighters expose while trying to exploit Errol's weaknesses.

Fight will be a stalemate by the first rounds, and Errol will finish Lamont by mid rounds. Lamont will try to counter Errol without success

That last part is interesting, when you say "stalemate", do you mean a fight that seems to be in the balance? So you don't think Spence will have taken lead by round 4?, possible, Peterson is awkward, but I think Spence can back him up, use his jab at long range, make Peterson work, and if it becomes a fight, Spence can punch, slug, and bang away to the body. I think Peterson's best shot is to throw in bursts, move out of range, change direction, make Spence walk onto shots, but I think the difference in overall ability to too much for for Peterson to have much success or come close to winning.

Fight went as expected. Only thing worth noting in this fight is the lack of improvement on Spence's side. Spence took some hits that he shouldn't have taken, and even Peterson was slipping his punches before Spence started his combinations.

If the unification bout happens between Thurman and Spence, my money is absolutely on One Time.

What a performance from Errol Spence!
To dominate Lamont Peterson like that, from start to finish, walk through his punches like they're nothing, sustain such a high pace, land with such power, precision, that was a master class from Spence overall, he dropped the pace just slightly in round 7, took some big whacks, but only because Peterson was not able to challenge him, it is very hard to criticise a fighter who wins every round against a guy as good as Peterson.

Peterson tried his best, but after 6 or 7 rounds, he was there for one reason, because he was too brave, to proud to quit, his trainer did absolutely the right thing, there was no point in sending him out there, the older fighter, the tiring fighter, he wasn't defending himself, he wasn't able to hurt Spence, it was so unlikely he was going to win, and if you rule that out, and decide it is not worth it, and you, in all realism, will not win, what's the point?

I think Spence would beat Thurman, but what a fight that could be, does Thurman want to fight Spence?, I think so, but he will have to be at his best, I think Spence might have the mental edge going into the fight, for a few reasons, but Thurman is a world champion in his own right, it takes two great fighters to make a fight like that.